Calcium Fertigation Ineffective at Increasing Fruit Yield and Quality of Muskmelon and Honeydew Melons in California

Abstract

<jats:p>California melon (<jats:italic>Cucumis melo</jats:italic>) growers commonly apply calcium (Ca) fertilizers during fruit development to increase fruit firmness and improve storage life. Drip-irrigated field trials were conducted in central California in 2005 and 2006 to evaluate the efficacy of this practice on honeydew (<jats:italic>C. melo</jats:italic> Inodorus group) and muskmelon (<jats:italic>C. melo</jats:italic> Reticulatus group). In the 2005 honeydew trial, three weekly applications of 10 lb/acre Ca from calcium nitrate (CN), calcium thiosulfate (CTS), or calcium chloride (CC) were injected into the irrigation system during early melon development. In the 2006 muskmelon trial, two applications of 15 lb/acre Ca from CTS or CC were made early, or two applications of CC late, in melon development. The effect of these Ca fertigation treatments on fruit yield, soluble solids concentration, flesh firmness, and Ca concentration were compared with an untreated control receiving no Ca fertigation. Calcium fertigation had no effect on marketable yield, quality, or Ca concentration of honeydew or muskmelon fruit regardless of application timing or Ca source applied. Loss of firmness during either 2 weeks (honeydew) or 1 week (muskmelon) of postharvest storage was unrelated to Ca fertigation treatment and was not correlated with Ca concentration in fruit tissue. We conclude that under conditions representative of the California melon industry, Ca fertigation at typical application rates is ineffective in improving honeydew or muskmelon yield or fruit quality.</jats:p>

Food quality attributes of melon (Cucumis melo L.) influenced by grafting

“…Plants grafted on melon rootstock showed an even lower vitrescence development rate. Low calcium content may contribute to softening and the development of vitrescence too (Johnstone et al, 2008). Lower phosphorus, calcium and magnesium content can be detected in case of plants grafted to "Shintosa" rootstock, than in plants grown on their own roots, or plants grafted to melon rootstock.…”

‘Pacal’ Orange Casaba: A Multi-disease Resistant, Specialty Melon Cultivar from Texas A&M AgriLife Research

“…Orange-fleshed inodorus melons present many advantages over cantaloupe melons such as better flesh texture (firmness), shelf life, ability to withstand lower storage temperatures, reduced susceptibility to surface microbial contamination, higher sugar content, improved disease resistance, higher yields, and better consumer acceptance (Fleshman et al, 2011;Hodges and Lester, 2006;Johnstone et al, 2008;Laur and Tian, 2011;Lester, 2008;Lester and Crosby, 2002;Lester et al, 2007;Saftner et al, 2006).…”